Ch 46 The Plots of Princes: Part 1

"Commander."

An unfamiliar voice came from beyond the doors. The decorated lizard was scared stiff.

"PRINCE! Ah... Prince Cazthil. You should not be this far from the castle. You..."

"I have my guards with me. I also have business with this human."

I could hear footsteps and metal plates clanging. Four lizard-women with heavy armor marched out of the gates. They were followed by a shorter well-dressed lizard. He had a more lizard-like head, similar to the commander. There was a gold diamond-shaped spot on his nose between his nostrils. His clothes were baggy and mostly a royal blue color with white and purple trim. He had no armor to speak of. He was then followed by four more lizard-women similarly armored like the first group.

His gaze met mine and he smiled. He began to approach me. Without looking at him, his guards stepped between us to halt his approach.

"Do not get in my way."

He gave a stern look to the backs of the guards that were blocking him. They did not move. He began slapping their shoulders like a child who was not getting his way.

"Move, move, move!"

The two in the middle-parted and allowed a path to me. He came close to me. I was expecting him to stop in front of me. He walked right up to my side and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"My friend. I have a proposal for you. I would also like to pick your brain for a few details. I can pay you handsomely. First, I think we should get you cleaned up and put some proper clothes on you. Please, come with me and experience the high life. Like one in your unique position, deserves."

"Well, If you want to pick my brain, I think the only proper payment is to afford me some of your information in fair trade."

"A natural barter. I like it. This is not the place. Come."

I followed him through his guards. They stared me down with an ominous look as I passed. They were supposed to protect this Prince. Here I am, a being of destruction. I suppose this would be a bad day for anyone in their position.

After we all passed through, I looked behind us. I could scarcely see the gate through the guards as the doors were closing. We started by taking a similar path toward the palace as last time. We made an unfamiliar right about halfway there. Several blocks away, we stopped before a clothier.

"This shop's owner is under my father's thumb. We will make sure you are in some comfortable threads."

We entered. This was a high-end shop. No clothing in here looked shabby by any means. The shop owner did not seem very pleased to see the Prince. He was forcing a smile as best he could.

They began to argue. The owner eventually gave in and ushered me upstairs where a bath was drawn for me. The owner went back downstairs while I cleaned up.

Before I was done, the shop owner returned with simple but clean clothes to replace my rags. I dried off and dressed before beginning my descent downstairs. The pants were uncomfortable. There was a hole in the back for a tail. The draft was an unusual feeling. At the bottom of the steps, I was greeted by Cazthil and the owner.

After trying on several sets of clothes, I wound up with an ensemble that was very comfortable and not too gaudy. The colorings were mostly gold with some white trim. I had a short right sleeve and a long left. My pants were a bit baggy but, they were too soft to say no.

"You look fit to be a Prince. It is a shame that you aren't. I could use the point of view from another."

"I suppose, technically speaking, I am a Prince."

"Really?"

He was very interested in this prospect.

"I married a Princess. Though, I was not in line for the throne. She was amongst the youngest of her siblings. Unfortunately, she has since passed away. Her people blamed me for her death. This resulted in my exile."

It hurt to remember it all.

"I am sorry to hear that. It is a shame to be removed from such a high place. Especially when it was not your fault. I mean, You didn't actually..."

"I did NOT kill my wife."

He saw the anger in such a ridiculous proposition.

"I loved her. I still miss her..."

I grabbed a handful of my shirt at my chest.

"I see. I apologize for even suggesting an accusation."

He sounded almost disappointed.

"Come, let us get you fed. It will help lighten the mood. I happen to be quite parched myself."

We left the clothing store and traveled down some more unfamiliar streets. We had not gotten very far before something caught my eye. A young lizard with an uncommon coloring. One that I recognized quite well. I happened to notice the kid had snagged a lizard-woman's coin pouch.

The kid began walking in this direction while looking back. He brought his gaze forward. At the sight of all the guards, he quickly stiffened and tried to act natural. Before he could pass, I pushed through the guards and bumped into the kid while going for a fruit stand. I picked up two ripe-looking fruits.

"I'll take two of these, please!"

The kid was obviously bothered. The coin pouch was now in my possession. I hid the pouch and pulled out some of my own coin to pay for the fruit. I hid a few silver coins under the fruit and handed the one with the coin under it, to the kid. I winked at him and gave him a quick wave with a few fingers.

Before I rejoined the guards, I bent down and let the coin pouch slide down my sleeve and into my left hand. I was near the ground of the woman who was now franticly looking for it.

"I think you dropped this."

I stood up with the pouch in hand before I handed it over to her.

"OH! Thank you so much. I..."

She realized I was human and stopped in her tracks.

"I... Uh. Thank you..."

She became shy and bowed to me.

I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"You show kindness to the commoners. A proper princely trait."

Maybe she was only shy because of the Prince that she knew. Cazthil leaned forward and began to whisper.

"If you had not stopped that thief yourself, he would have been executed on the spot."

I did not like the way he said that.

"He reminded me of someone. It did not feel right to let him be."

His colorings reminded me of Wab and Riksa. A relative? A son? Could the kid be part of the reason why Wab betrayed us?

We continued to the palace. Cazthil showed me to his chambers. The room was covered in blues and golds. There was a massive bed with amazingly soft sheets. Mirrors were positioned all over the room. This only affirmed his vanity to me. He had a small two-person table set up.

The oddest part of his room was the back left corner. It was bare and blackened. Like a fire had taken place and the stone wall was never cleaned.

"Do you have any preference on food or drink? I personally prefer a hythrin steak with a side of fruit. It pairs well with a refined mead."

"Oh. Nothing for me, thanks. I actually ate before you showed up."

I felt uncomfortable accepting food and drink from this Prince.

"Nonsense. Bring me two plates of hythrin steaks."

"Just water for me. I don't drink much else."

I blurted out. The closest guard bowed and left the room.

Cazthil motioned for the two guards at the door to leave.

"I want privacy. Make sure to knock before the food comes in."

His voice was stern with his guards. He then elegantly sat on his chair.

"Go on, sit."

He held open a hand toward the empty seat on the other side of the small table. I took the offer.

"So, you really do have the power of the potion of Rage? How long have you had it?"

"It has been over a year now."

"Really? No other user is known to have survived with the potion that long. How did you do it? Is there a secret? Did you dilute the potion? Do tell?"

I was not about to reveal certain secrets. The fact that Rage himself was a user and still alive up until several days ago. Or that I came from a different world.

"I don't know. It was an accident really. I was traveling away from Bastion. I wanted to explore the world. I came across a giant and he attacked me. I got hit with a tree trunk and was sent flying. I don't remember what happened after that. I awoke in an elf prison and was told by one of the other prisoners what the guards said. That I drank the potion in a desperate search for something to drink while near death. That I was delirious."

I mixed several half-truths in the hopes that he would believe me.

"You were sent to prison? Those elves are always quick to make life-changing decisions with creatures that can't hope to live nearly as long as they do. How did you escape? Did you use your power?"

"I was actually rescued by panthers. I made friends with the Princess that I ended up marrying. Her people came to rescue her and they got me out too."

He nearly choked.

"A panther? You were a Prince of the panthers? You 'are' an odd one. Most races avoid them. They tend to avoid humans especially. How did you, a human, befriend her?"

"The elves were trying to starve her. I kept giving her my food to sustain her. If not for that, she may have been dead by the time her people came."

"Fascinating. Why is it, that you do not shy away from the other races? There is so much hatred in this world. Why are you different?"

"We are talking, right here right now. We are two different races. Are you bothered by the fact that we can talk in a civilized manner such as this?"

"No. I am quite interested in what you have to say."

"Exactly. Truthfully, if I was a normal human, we wouldn't be here right now. I would have been dead several times over on this journey. Even so, here we are. I have conversed with humans, elves, trolls, panthers, lizards and a few others. I have no reason to hate someone because of their race. Only what an individual does. I hated an elf. He treated his slave-like garbage and I made sure that he could never do that again. There was another elf who helped me. She is a dear friend. To me, race is a useless word. There are good and bad individuals from all walks of life. I want to believe that most of them are good."

"Hmmm. I see your point. Unfortunately, hopeful optimism can lead to many dead ends."

"My powers can break through many dead ends. I would rather not rely on them too much but, they are useful tools from time to time."

"Powers? More than one?"

Shit. I slipped up.

"Well, everyone knows about the power that comes from anger. I also have a power that comes from sadness. I left quite a dent in the Troll Lands when my wife died. If there are other powers, I am unfamiliar with them."

"I see."

A knock came from the door.

"Just a moment."

He whispered to me.

"Come in!"

The food came. Several servants entered. Two of them brought in large dishes with steaks on them. The two plates barely fit on the small table that the Prince and I shared. The side dishes were placed on unfolded trays to either side of the table. Lots of fruits and other sides came along with the main course.

I can't lie, the steak smelled amazing.

"Thank you. Now leave us be."

The staff cleared out and the guard shut the door.

"Eat up. This is my treat."

Cazthil began to cut his steak and munch away on fruits. I figured I could at least try this steak. I cut a corner off and began to chew it. The flavor was as amazing as it smelled.

"Oh, my, gaaawd. This is so good."

"I know. Enjoy."

I ate more steak than anything else. I only had a few fruits that looked more ripe than the others. I only pretended to drink the mead that was brought. I debated on whether I should complain about not getting water. Was it on purpose and spiked? Was it an accident? Either way, I was not about to drink it.

"Ouf. I am full. Thank you for this bounty of food."

"A pleasure. I have picked your thoughts some. You said you were interested in a few things yourself? What kinds of things did you want to know?"

It took me a second to remember what I was going to ask. My full stomach was distracting.

"I had a question about humans that may have come here. I was expecting some friends."

"Ah. My father has acquired some new toys. They are set to be enslaved tomorrow. We only have one slaver in these lands. He travels a lot so, he is not always available."

"Can I meet these 'toys?' If they are my friends, I would have a problem with them being enslaved."

"I can take you to them later. I can't stop what my father has started, though. You would have to talk to him directly. Although..."

That tone in his voice sounded... mischievous.

"That is part of what I wanted to talk to you about. Your powers and my father. I happen to be next in line and he is holding onto his throne with a death grip."

"I understand now. You wanted to see if I was the kind to kill my wife for power earlier. You wanted to know if I might be willing to... take matters into my own hands for a mutual benefit."

I spoke softly to avoid someone overhearing. Cazthil did the same.

"You are quick. I think you have what it takes to get the job done. In doing so, I can help you in other ways. I don't need human slaves, for example. You could live here like royalty. Enjoy these meals every day. Many of the slaves below us could be yours for the taking. I only want the throne. I am tired of being under the thumb of my father."

"What would you do with the throne if you got it?"

"I could make many changes around here for the better. I have made up many plans to get things underway. The sooner you get the job done, the more thankful I will be."

He says he wants to make things better but, for who?

"Let me think about it. I have never had a 'job' like this. I don't know if it's the right thing to do."

"Of course it is."

He moved his chair closer to mine.

"If you do this, I can make this place better for everyone. I only want what is best."

He began looking directly into my eyes and placed a hand on the back of my chair. I was feeling a bit uneasy.

"The people need this change. I need this change for them. I imagine a place where everyone works together to make this place brighter and benefits everyone as a whole. You want that, don't you?"

He was leaning in close.

"If you want more than just a place to stay, I could..."

He got too close to my face.

"NOPE!"

I stood up and backed away.

"Sorry, I don't... not, with males."

"I... Oh. I'm sorry. I just thought..."

I was facing away from him. I could see in one of the mirrors that he was not embarrassed at all. I think he was trying to play me as a pawn. He makes his plans seem perfect. I have had no great feelings about him in any form. If anything, he is a means to an end for me. Probably as much as I am for him.

"If it's possible. I would like to see these humans."

"I see. I will have one of the guards take you."

He opened the door and spoke to a guard.

I followed the guard down several halls. We went down into a dungeon. It felt similar to the area that the slaves were kept in. Though, it was much more compact and not as many individuals down here. About halfway down the line of cells, we came to a stop. Sure enough, some familiar faces were seen.

"Jezzy, Jazzy!"

They were huddled in a corner. They were only wearing rags. Better than nothing. Although, if I can't stop the enslavement...

"LAKE!"

They both called out at the same time. They ran to the bars and hugged me through them.

"What are you two doing here? Where are Butkis and Berry?"

A hand popped out from the cell next to theirs.

"Over here!"

I recognized the voice. I moved over to observe the cell next to the girls. Bitkis was upfront and Berry was sleeping in the back against the wall.

"Butkis! What are you all doing here?"

"It is good to see a friendly face, Lake."

He placed a hand on my shoulder.

"We had met with a neutral lizard trader. He suggested coming here. Our greeting was not well met and they brought us all here."

"They aren't really the best of hosts. I don't see why the trader would send you this way. Not unless he planned to have you captured. Honestly, you were lucky that you didn't end up as food in Onala."

"You speak as though you know the lay of the land."

"I know some of it. I have been here for a while. I have gotten to know some of the lizard people."

I looked away and began to scratch my chin.

"I got married to one."

His face dropped but his eyes never lost their original position. I suppose his disbelief was to be expected.

"Aw! No fair! I wanted you to myself!"

I heard Jazzy call out. Butkis pulled me closer to him.

"So... Are you here to return the favor that I had granted you in Bastion?"

I raised a brow.

"Maybe. For a price."

He let go and backed away. He couldn't believe what I said.

"I'm playing with you. I do want to get you out of here. I would prefer it to be done in a civilized manner, though. I will have a meeting with the King. While there, I want to try to persuade him to release you. All of you."

Butkis let out a massive sigh.

"Please do not toy with me like that. As it is, I don't have anything to pay with. My carriage and all my belongings were confiscated."

"I learned from the best. I will try to get your stuff back too. I'll see you later. I'm glad to see you're all okay."

I returned to Jezzy and Jazzy for another hug. As I pulled away, I spotted something out of the corner of my eye. Further down, someone was watching or listening. I only caught sight of a hand disappearing. My curiosity got the best of me. The guard was at the top of the stairs to the entrance of the prison. Her back was turned to us. I walked further into the dungeon. I found a cell that was missing its door. Inside was...

"Riksa?"

There was no bed in this cell. She was sitting down with her back to me.

"Riksa? What's wrong?"

I walked up to her and placed my hand on her left shoulder. She turned her head to the right. It was as if she was trying to avoid me in this tiny space.

"Please tell me."

I sat next to her left side. I slid my right arm down the inside of her left. Our hands met and she grasped mine in hers.

"I can't."

Her voice trembled ever so slightly.

"You should go, Lake. I..."

I brushed away some of her hair that was covering her neck. I kissed the newly uncovered spot.

"I won't just abandon you when you are obviously troubled. That's part of my job as a husband."

Her clothes were average lizard clothes. There was no cell door. She did not seem like a prisoner. Why is she here?

She let go of my hand and moved over to the nearby corner.

"I... You should just... Forget me and go. Be with Sophie. I'm not the..."

"Too late. I already married you. You're stuck with me. If you don't want to talk, that's okay. Just let me stay here with you."

She did not respond nor did she move.

'Lake. I would like to request an audience.'

The voice Fear...

"Riksa. I'm just going to sit right here and meditate. If you change your mind about talking to me, I will be right here. I'm going to meditate for a bit."

I moved about a foot away from the back wall and faced the cell entrance. I crossed my legs and readied myself for my darkness.

"What if I'm not here when you wake up from your meditation?"

Riksa suggested.

"Then I will be sad. What else is a husband supposed to feel when his wife abandons him in a helpless state?"

She pulled her knees into her chest and wrapped her arms around them before settling. I wish I knew why she was feeling this way. I wish I could make her feel better.